Broken Heart
by Sparrow Shadow
Summary: Jess and Will meet on the day that both girls find out that they are guardians, but the lightning guardian has a secret. Will wants to find out why she has bruises on her back, why they don't know her parents, and why she won't allow herself to be loved.
1. Prologue: Jessica Marshall

Broken Heart By Sparrow Shadow

Prologue: Jessica Marshall

Will narrowed her eyes as she slid out of the car. "Come on Will, can't you at least try to make a friend today?" Her mother pleaded.

"All my friends are in Fadden Hills. I'm not going to make friends here. This town sucks." She said dramatically. Mrs. Vandom rolled her brown eyes as Will stomped off towards her new school, intent on never speaking to her mother again. Will plucked her schedule out of her bag and studied it for a few minutes, having no idea where her first class was. She thought about going to the office, but she had no idea where that was either. She scanned the students, hoping for a friendly and helpful face, but they all ignored her, all except for one. 

"Hey Newbie!" Called an ugly boy with orange hair and pimples. His gang of thuggish looking cronies, who were easily three times her size, followed. She stiffened, knowing she was in for trouble. "Not lost are you?" The leader said with a sinister cackle.

"N-no. I can handle it, thanks."

"Not so fast," Will began to panic as the boys crowed around her. The leader raised his fist, and suddenly Will felt an arm around her shoulders. She turned to see a small girl behind her. She had long curly dark brown hair and warm amber eyes. Her posture was defiant as she glared death into the eyes of the thugs.

"What's up, Uriah?" she said with sarcasm. His malicious grin faded slightly.

"What's it to ya', Marshall?" Uriah raised his fist, as did the girl.

"Back off Uriah." She positioned her little body in front of Will, who cringed, expecting her to get pounded. Uriah's fist whizzed through the air, but the girl was quicker. Her fist made contact with Uriah's nose with a sickening crack. He hit the floor with an almighty holler and his thugs stepped in front of him. The girl raised her fist's one more time, and they backed up. Uriah stood and slunk backwards.

"You just wait, Newbie. One day, I'll catch you without your bodyguard. Then you'll be toast." He and his thugs bolted off into the school.

"Don't worry about him. He's all bark and no bite." She smiled warmly and Will smiled back. "My name's Jessica Marshal, but most people call me Jess, or Jessie, or 'hey Bitch, move. Which ever one you want to use is fine with me."

"Jess is fine. I'm Will." Jess snatched Will's schedule out of her hand.

"You've got Mrs. Rudolf first. So do I. Come on, I'll show you the way." Will followed gratefully, feeling safe with her new bodyguard close by. 


	2. Chapter One: The Lightning Guardian

Chapter One: The Lightning Guardian

Jess wasn't in history class, but that didn't bother Will one bit. Will knew that Jess hated Mr. Collins as much as she did, but Jess knew how to get away with skipping. Plus, Jess never made it a habit to show up to all her classes. The only class she never missed was gym, and only because she was so good at the balance beam.

Will smiled, remembering the first time she had met Jess on her first day at the Sheffield Institute. Later that day, both girls had found out they were the guardians of the veil, along with Cornelia, Irma, Taranee, and Hay Lin. The bell rang to dismiss history, and Will left with relief. She smiled as she saw Jess lounging against the wall with a wry grin playing on her lips.

"I wish you'd let me forge you a note. You shouldn't have to sit through that class," she said. Cornelia, who followed Will out the door, rolled her eyes.

"No thanks, I'd rather get out of class the old fashioned way. Break my leg in the hall way." The girls shared a giggle as Taranee joined them on their way to gym, where they'd meet up with the other girls. Will had always felt safe with Jess nearby. She was tough as nails, but she wasn't a bully. She was usually sticking up for the underdogs, since she was one herself. She was a mystery though, from her deep amber eyes, her scarred knuckles, to her boyish cloths.

Irma waved from the back of the gym and they all departed for their various activities. Will, as always liked to watch Jess on the balance beam. Jess pulled her dark brown hair up in a ponytail as she mounted the beam. She did a couple of cartwheels to warm herself up before she did two back flips and dismounted. Will and Irma clapped and she gave them a shy smile. She did a back hand spring on the ground and then a back flip before she grabbed a basketball and joined Will and Irma in free throws. Soon the girls were involved in a fast paced game of two-on-one. Jess won in the end, but not to far ahead of Will and Irma.

"So," Jess said as she slunk, panting into the back corner of the gym with Will, while Irma went to flirt with her latest crush, "are we going to practice our powers after school?" Will nodded and Jess smiled. The lightning guardian fully loved her new found powers. Cornelia through herself languidly next to Will, her sides heaving from exertion. She hated gym. Taranee, Irma, and Hay Lin joined them. Jess whipped a book to read out of her bag , and the others began to talk.

"I wish we would hear from Caleb." Cornelia said wistfully. Will nodded and Jess rolled her eyes.

"It's not like he's got a cell phone, Corny. He lives in another dimension for heaven's sake. Give it a rest." Jess said.

"I though you were ignoring me," Cornelia snapped, "And don't call me Corny." Jess stuck her tongue out at Cornelia and the earth guardian glowered. Will and Irma laughed. Jess and Cornelia were always at each others throats, but they knew that the girls cared for each other and would always look out for one another.

Authors Note: Jess and Cornelia are always at odds with each other, mainly because Jess's personality is a lot like mine, and Cornelia chafes ,y nerves. 


	3. Party Planning

Chapter Two: Party Planning 

Taranee was glad when the bell rang and it was time to go home. She, Will, and Jess usually walked home together because they lived in the same direction. Jess was, as usual, silent as Taranee and Will chattered on and on about everything under the sun. The conversation turned to a party that was happening that weekend. "Are you going?" Will asked Jess.

"I don't have a date,"

"Neither do I," Taranee said and Will nodded in agreement.

"I don't know if my parents will let me,"

"Well, we're almost to your house. Why don't we go ask them?" Will said.

"No. I'll ask. It's ok." she said, her cheeks flushing red. Will nodded, confused. They came to Jess's street and she mumbled a hasty farewell. Will watched her go with a confused expression on her face.

"Have you ever even met her parents?" Will asked.

"No. You?"

"No. I'm not fully convinced she even has any. She never talks about them, or about any siblings or anything. I know she has the puppy, but that's only because I was with her when she got her." Taranee remembered all too well when, she, Jess, and Will had found the starving puppy in the back of the school grounds. Jess cleaned the puppy up and was able to determine that she was an ASCOB (any solid color other then black) cocker spaniel, around two weeks old. Jess had bottle fed the little thing, carrying her everywhere, even school, in her black backpack. The puppy was now about six weeks old and she had been weaned and christened Sunny. Jess called the puppy her "child."

It was odd though. Jess had been Taranee's friend for months now and she had never met the girls parents. She and Will parted company at Will's apartment building and Taranee continued home.

Jessica Aradia Marshall-for-now trekked up her front porch steps and entered the house quietly, trying to slink upstairs unnoticed. "Jess, is that you?" a voice called from the back room.

"Yeah, Vicky, it's me." she called with a grimace as a young woman entered the room.

"Now why don't you call me 'mom' like everyone else does their parents?"

"Because you're not my mother." Jess snapped coldly. My real mother was smart enough to get rid of me early, she thought bitterly as she walked to her room. She opened the door, and she released Sunny from her kennel. "You ready for a walk, mutt?" The puppy yipped and nipped her fingers. Jess gave an involuntary smile. She snapped the leash on the dog's collar, sat the puppy and a flashlight gently in her backpack, and zipped it up, leavening it opened slightly so the puppy could slip her head out. Jess lifted the window, hoisted the bag gently over her shoulder, and climbed out the window and down the trellis. As soon as they were far enough away from the house, she released the pup, allowing her to walk freely along the leash length.

Jess walked blindly, knowing exactly where she was going. Sunny seemed to know as well, for she never strayed off the path or pulled at the leash. It wasn't long before girl and dog had reached the beach just outside of Heatherfield. With one quick look at the pounding surf, she picked Sunny up in one arm, and slid down the steep embankment, crossed the dunes, and entered a cave in the rocks. The cave was pitch dark, hence the reason Jess brought a flashlight. The river ran through the rocks were it would exit the cave and eventually reach the ocean. Jess climbed the rocks until she reached the flat rock near the roof where she spent most of her time. Halcyon Haven, she called it. She fished her book out of her bag and read by flashlight while the puppy snuggled close. Jess's cell phone rang and she rolled her eyes as she saw Vicky's number on the caller ID. She should be used to me sneaking out by now, Jess thought maliciously, I've been living here for almost thirteen months now…

Thirteen months this Thursday! Jess realized with horror as she dropped her book. The puppy was startled awake with a yip. So I guess D-day's this Thursday, Jess thought, fighting back the tears in the back of her eyes. But I don't want to leave. This is the first time I have allowed myself to make friends. How could I possibly have done that? I knew that this was only temporary. I guess the ol' Oracle of Candracar was wrong to anoint me as a guardian. By Thursday, I'll live too far from the other guardians to be of any use saving Metamoor or closing portals.

The truth was, there had been no plans to move Jess out of her current foster home, but, from Jess's personal experience, they never wanted to keep her after thirteen months. Things always started to get bad around month ten, and by month thirteen…Jess fingered the bruise on her wrist in remembrance of month ten. She didn't want to leave…

…but what choice did she have. She was a ward of the state. 


	4. The Fight

Chapter Three: The Fight

Thursday

Jess slunk into history class and through herself in the desk in between Will and Cornelia, ignoring their questioning glances. Her mind was running over the argument she had had with her foster parents Tuesday when she had got home from Halcyon Haven.

"Jessica where have you been?"

"None of your business!" she had snapped.

"Young lady, we've told you that you should tell us where you are going, before you leave, and how long you'll be gone." Richard, Vicky's husband, said entering the kitchen.

"Fine, whatever." She began to back up towards the stairs. "I'm going to my room now. I will be back around breakfast time. That better?" Richard glared at her.

"You had better straighten up that attitude, little girl, or you are out of here."

"Good! I hate it here anyway." Jess knew that had been a lie. Richard leaped at her, grabbing her by her shirt collar and slamming her into the wall.

"Listen here Jessica! You will not talk to us like that. We are your parents, and we deserve some respect."

"You are not my real parents."

"Thank God for that!" He yelled, releasing her. She slid down the wall, her hands on her back. I'm not going to cry, Jess willed herself. I will not give him the satisfaction. She wasn't sure what she wanted to cry from more: The pain in her back, or the sting of his words.

"Jess!" Will said nudging her. Mr. Collins was leering over her, the test in his hand. Oh yeah, review, Jess thought.

"I was saying, Jess, can you answer the question I just asked the class?" Jess racked her brain to remember the question, but failed. She guessed.

"Uhh,…false?"

"The question was, miss Marshall, What was the purpose of the first amendment?"

"Uhh…freedom of speech?"

"Try religion." Jess sank lower in her chair. "Can you tell us the significance of this amendment?" Jess looked to Will, who was mouthing, 'colonists' over and over again.

"The colonists where sent here as prisoners for not following the same religion that the monarchs decreed?"

"Well, at least Will pays attention. Maybe you can fit her in your backpack for the test." Mr. Collins then left to badger another student. Will and Cornelia looked at her with concerned glances.

"What's your deal today? You usually, at least, pretend to pay attention." Cornelia hissed in her ear.

"I've got a lot on my mind ok? Mind your business." She hated snapping at her friends, well Corny was an exception, but she didn't feel like talking. She leaned her back against the chair and winced at the pain from the bruises on her back. Will was staring at her again.

"What's wrong with you back?"

"Nothing," Jess snapped, pulling the jacket tighter around her. The bell rang and the girls retreated to gym where Jess, ignoring the alarmed looks from her fellow guardians, pulled her book out of her bag.

"Aren't you hot in that jacket?" Taranee asked.

"No. Quit hovering."

"What's wrong with you today. You're being really cold." Hay Lin asked. Jess rolled her eyes and ignored the question. Irma playfully shivered.

"Come on, Ice Queen. Thaw yourself out and come join us in humiliation station, otherwise known as gym class." Irma through an arm around her back and Jess, feeling a spark of pain, shoved Irma off of her.

"Let me go!" she yelled. The lights in the gym flickered and the bulb above them popped.

"Shhhhh," Will said gently, putting her hands on Jess's shoulder, "relax." Ironic, Jess thought, my powers make me have to control my temper. She had first noticed her powers when any electrical devices around her starting shorting out whenever she was angry. It made it harder to hide her anger when this happened. She had once been so good at hiding her emotions, but…

Jess got up and walked off, thinking vaguely of telling them about her back when she, literally, ran straight into Uriah and his gang. "Watch it!" He snapped. She rolled her eyes and tried to step around him. "Where are you going, Jessica?"

"None of your business. And it's Jess." She shouldered past Kurt, who was about three or four times her size. She felt a hand on her shoulder and she whipped around, her fists raised.

"Are you challenging me?"

"Well, it looks like it. You got a problem?"

"Yeah." His fist flew towards her nose, and she dodged easily.

"That all you got?" Jess felt another hand on her shoulder as Will and the others came up behind her, Irma cracking her knuckles.

"Is there a problem?" The water guardian asked.

"I know what his problem is. He's trying to figure out how outnumbered he is, but he can't count to six with his hand in his pocket," Jess answered, feeling much bolder with her friends behind her.

"Break it up!" the teacher called from across the gym. Jess nodded in his direction and began to walk away.

"Too bad your mother left you. Somebody needs to teach you to act like a girl-"

Wham!

Jess's fist made contact with Uriah's jaw before he even finished his sentence. Before anyone knew it, Jess was on top of him, flailing punches at him. His cronies stood, dumbstruck, and Will and the rest of the guardians pulled her off of him. He sat up, nursing a bleeding lip.

"Crazy Bitch!" he yelled, and it took all of Will's strength to hold Jess back as she thrust herself forward again.

"Why don't you go crawl back under your rock, Uriah?" Cornelia snapped. Meanwhile, Jess's anger was making the lights flicker again, "And quit picking fights with girls half your size who can still beat the crap out of you." Uriah lunged at Cornelia but Jess pulled away in time to nail him in his already bleeding nose. Uriah, surprised by the attack, fell on his butt. Laurent and Kurt stepped in front of Jess, who, if she was afraid at all, refused to show it.

"BREAK…IT…UP!" the gym teacher hollered, breaking in between them. Will and Irma shuffled Jess away as the bell rang.

"Jess, your lip is bleeding." Hay Lin said, extracting a paper towel from her bag and pressing it firmly to Jess's lip. "You knuckles are bleeding too."

"I'm fine Hay Lin," Jess said gently.

"No you're not. We should have my grandmother look at you."

"We've still got two hours left at school."

"Oh, Now you're having scruples about skipping?" Hay Lin giggled as a wry smile appeared across Jess's face. "Come on," 


	5. Stitches

Chapter Four: Stitches

The girls snuck out the back door and were soon on the road to Hay Lin's house, which was over her parents' Chinese restaurant. Hay Lin's grandmother was sitting at the table when the girls reached the top of the stairs. She smiled mischievously.

"You should see the other guy," Jess giggled as Yan Lin ushered her into a chair. Jess didn't argue as the elderly woman handed her another paper towel to cover her lip, and bustled over to find the first aid kit. Jess couldn't help but trust her, and had often come over to the restaurant just to talk when she had a bad day, even before she and Hay Lin were friends. Yan Lin washed the cuts on Jess's knuckles and clicked her tongue with worry.

"You need stitches, Jessica," she whispered. "What's Vicky's work number?"

"She won't take me to a doctor. I'll be fine. Don't worry." Yan Lin nodded, though Jess could tell she didn't approve. Yan Lin fitted a strip of gauze over Jess's knuckles and taped it closed.

"That should do it," she said. "Who started it?"

"Uriah," Irma snapped. "He said something about Jess's mother. I didn't quite catch it."

"He said…" She trailed off. This is it. I need to tell them. Today is D-day, and they need to know why I will be leaving soon. "He said that it was too bad that my mother left me. Someone needed to teach me to act like a girl."

"Well, I would have hit him too." Yan Lin said, brushing Jess's dark brown hair out of her face.

"Why is that so bad?" Taranee asked. Jess's eyes locked pleadingly with Yan Lin's.

"You should tell them dear. They should know," she said.

"Tell us what?" Hay Lin asked her grandma.

"She's not my mother," Jess whispered. "Vicky, she's not my mother. They're not my parents." Irma giggled.

"Were you raised by wolves? That would explain a lot." Jess forced a laugh.

"They're my foster parents. I'm a ward of the state." She felt the sting of tears in the back of her eyes. There, I said it, she thought. "My mother, my birth mother, abandoned me at a hospital when I was three." The other guardians were watching her with sympathy and shock in their eyes. Jess stood up and crossed the room. She hated people to feel sorry for her. She felt gentle hands on her shoulders as Irma came up behind her.

"Why didn't you say anything before?"

"It wasn't important."

"Tell them how many foster homes you have been in." Yan Lin prompted.

"Nine."

"Nine!" Cornelia said.

"I thought I should tell you because, well, today I've there exactly thirteen months. I've never stayed in a place longer then thirteen months. It's only a matter of time before they get tired of me too."

"How did Uriah find out?" Taranee asked.

"You know, he sneaks into the office and reads the student files. They're not very well guarded." Cornelia.

"What happened to your back?" Will asked randomly, pulling at Jess's jacket. Jess shrugged it off, and Will gasped at the bruises she had from her shoulders to the top of her jeans.

"Why didn't you…" Hay Lin started to say before Jess cut her off.

"It didn't seem important." Jess stared at the floor. "They're tired of me now. My time is up." 


	6. DDay

A/N: The song is By Martina Mcbride and it is called Concret Angel.

Chapter Five: D-Day

Jess entered the house to just about as welcoming of a greeting as she had received yesterday. "I got a call from your school. They said you started a fight, and then you skipped school."

"I didn't start it-"

"Bull! You're always causing problems," Vicky snapped.

"Why don't you listen before you pass judgment-" Vicky's hand cracked across Jess's face, sending her crashing to the floor. Damn, another bruise.

"You're just mad because I'm not giving you opportunity to lie again. That's all you ever do, Jess." Richard entered the room, and Jess stiffened from her position on the floor. Jess tried to stand up and Richard grabbed her wrist, using it to slam her back down on the floor. Jess rolled out of his reach and stood again, her fists raised.

"I won't let you hit me again!" She snapped. Richard grabbed her fists and, before she could react, had slammed her into the wall again.

"Richard, stop." Vicky pleaded, looking fearful. He looked at his wife and released Jess. Go to your room young lady." She obliged. Once she was in her room, she plucked her headphones over her ears, and let the steady rhythm carry her away.

Jess woke up the next morning with the headphones over her ears. She realized she had slept through her alarm clock, but Vicky came in around seven to wake her up. She asked if she was ok, and Jess informed her she was fine. She told Jess that the social worker was making arrangements to have her moved to another foster home.

Big surprise.

She walks to school with the lunch she packed

Nobody knows what she's holdin' back

Wearin' the same dress she wore yesterday

She hides the bruises with linen and lace

Jess got dressed with the earphones still over her ears, to drown out any sounds from downstairs. She made sure to cover her new bruises with her baggy jeans and sweatshirt. She applied some makeup to her eye, which didn't completely hide the bruise.

The teacher wonders but she doesn't ask

It's hard to see the pain behind the mask

Bearing the burden of a secret storm

Sometimes she wishes she was never born

Through the wind and the rain

She stands hard as a stone

In a world that she can't rise above

But her dreams give her wings

And she flies to a place where she's loved

Concrete angel

She bolted downstairs and, ignoring her foster mother, grabbed a muffin before bolting out the door. Vicky tried to ask about the makeup, but Jess brushed her off. She knew she didn't have to hide from her friends anymore, but still, she took the long way to school.

Somebody cries in the middle of the night

The neighbors hear, but they turn out the lights

A fragile soul caught in the hands of fate

When morning comes it'll be too late

Through the wind and the rain

She stands hard as a stone

In a world that she can't rise above

But her dreams give her wings

And she flies to a place where she's loved

Concrete angel

A statue stands in a shaded place

An angel girl with an upturned face

A name is written on a polished rock

A broken heart that the world forgot

She slunk into school just as the tardy bell rang. Jess sighed as a thought crossed her mind. Why go to school at all? She turned around and rocketed right out the door again. A quick trip back to get Sunny, and she was sitting in her cave, reading a book by flashlight with tear drops sprinkling the pages.

Through the wind and the rain

She stands hard as a stone

In a world that she can't rise above

But her dreams give her wings

And she flies to a place where she's loved

Concrete angel

Will fidgeted uneasily in her desk chair when the late bell rang, and Mrs. Rudolph called role, pausing when she came to Jess's name. She looked questioningly at Will, who shrugged. Jess hadn't called her last night, like she promised, to tell her if she was allowed to go to the party. Now she wasn't in class. Will thought about the bruises on Jess's back, and wondered, could he have hurt her bad enough to keep her from coming to school? Will tried not to worry, but the memory of how Jess had winced every time she had moved…she stared out the window and tried to think of anything but the lightning guardian, and the possibility that she was in the hospital…or worse. She had once seen on TV about how an abusive father had killed his daughter. Jess is fine, Will admonished herself, she skips class all the time. Why am I so worried? She soon found herself falling asleep as she stared out the window, until a movement caught the corner of her eye. A young boy with brown hair, brown eyes, and a handsome build, was standing behind the tree, trying to get her attention.

Caleb!

"Mrs. Rudolf! I need to use the restroom, and Taranee needs to go with me, because, I don't know if you've noticed but, teenage girls like to do these things in pairs." Mrs. Rudolf started to object, but then she looked out the window and saw Caleb. Mrs. Rudolf, who was also from Metamoor, was a part of the rebellion and she knew of Caleb as well. Will grabbed Taranee's hand and bolted out the door.

"Will what are you-"

"Caleb's outside," she hissed in her ear and Taranee fell silent. Caleb smiled as they came closer to him. "What's up?"

"How soon can you girls leave for Metamoor?"

"As soon as class lets out, why?"

"I need your help." He said.

"What's going on?"

"Phobos is still searching for me and my men. Do you girls think you can help them get to the Infinite City? He has them cornered in the canyons, and they can't escape."

"Of course, Caleb. Oh, one more problem. We need to find Jess. She didn't show up for class today."

"I'll find her. You warn the girls." Will nodded.

"She likes to hang out in the caves around the beach. Try there." Caleb nodded and darted off. Will and Taranee bolted back in the school, just as the bell was ringing, to find the other girls.

Caleb picked his way across the rocks of the Heatherfield beach, trying to get to the caves before he had to meet the girls. He had stopped at a pay phone and tried to call Jess's cell phone, just like Will had taught him, but, either he had done it wrong, or Jess wasn't answering. As soon as he reached the sand, he saw foot prints, a set of small of feminine looking ones, and a small dog's. He smiled and followed them into a cave, wishing Blunk was with him to help track the pair. He saw a light.

"Jess?" he whispered into the darkness. He heard Sunny's unmistakable yap and heard a rock smack the wall next to him. Either Jess hadn't recognized his voice, or she wanted to be left alone. "Jess it's me, it's Caleb. Cease fire!" he added as another rock nearly hit his shoulder.

"Caleb?" she said. He didn't like the sound of her voice. She sounded scared.

"Are you ok?" He heard her shuffling down the rocks and felt Sunny's cold nose touch his ankle as she sniffed him up and down. Jess slipped in the water and he grabbed her arm to steady her. He picked up the flashlight and, without a word, she followed him out of the cave. Caleb blinked in the sudden sunlight that was jabbing a vicious finger in his eyes. He saw Jess squint as well, and turned to say something to her when he saw the bruises on her face and arms, her cheeks stained with tears. "Jess what happened?" He reached his hand out to her and she smacked it away.

"None of your business!"

"Who hit you?"

"No one."

"Bull! Jess, who did this?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Will sent me to find you. We're heading to Meridian to rescue some of the rebels. Oh my God, Jess!" Jess was pulling her sweatshirt on, and Caleb saw the bruised flesh on her shoulders that her tank top displayed.. He grabbed the sweatshirt, as well as the tank top, and yanked them up to see more bruises and a few bleeding scratches on her back. Jess smacked his hand again and called him a jerk. "In Meridian, If someone hit a young lady, he gets sent to prison."

"Well this isn't Meridian, Caleb. Here, no one cares if you get hurt."

"Do your parents know?" She dropped her gaze.

"Who do you think did it?" she muttered.

"Jess!"

"Mind your business, Caleb." They walked a few minutes in silence before Caleb turned to her once more.

"Those look pretty painful."

"What do you care?" she snapped. Caleb sighed. He had long since gotten used to Jess's stubbornness, but she still could exasperate him to tears. "I've gotten used to being hit, ok. I've been smacked around since I was three. They're not my parents anyway. I'm a ward of the state. I have no family."

"They shouldn't be allowed to hit you like that."

"Well, write a letter to Congress, and see if you can find someone who cares." She bolted ahead as they reached the school, and she saw the girls sitting under the tree. Will started to make a comment about the bruises, but Jess cut her off. "We should go." 


	7. Jess’s Fluke

Chapter Six: Jess's Fluke

"So, what happened?" Nosey Irma asked while Blunk sniffed around for the portal.

"What happened to what?" Jess asked sarcastically.

"Your eye." Cornelia snapped. "Don't tell us something stupid, like you walked into a door or something. We're not that stupid."

"Well, if you know, why ask me?" She said, stomping her foot on the pavement. Blunk jumped at the unexpected vibration. Hay Lin put her arms around Jess's shoulders in an attempt at a sisterly embrace. Jess winced as Hay Lin touched one of the bruises.

"She said that her father hit her." Caleb said.

"He's not my father." Jess snapped.

"You should report him. He's being abusive."

"Too late. They decided that they don't want me any more. I'm leaving." Will stopped dead in her tracks.

"Where are they moving you to?"

"A foster home…in…Chicago."

"Chicago?" The other five guardians cried. Jess nodded, staring at the floor.

"I have this weekend to get my stuff together. I'm leaving Monday."

"Are you ok?" Taranee said gently.

"Yeah. I knew I wouldn't be here permanently. I never stay in one place long."

"Wait, it's going to be really hard to be a guardian from over a hundred miles away." Hay Lin said gently.

"You're so naïve, Hay Lin." Jess said.

"You must be upset," Cornelia whispered gently.

"No, I'm really not. I never allow myself to get too comfortable. It was just a fluke that I made friends this time. I usually don't let myself make friends." Jess felt hot tears stinging the back of her eyes. She angrily swiped them away. "I just…hoped I would get to stay here. I thought that…me making friends was an omen that every thing was going to be ok. I had stability. I had you guys. I…just…leave me alone, ok." Jess buried her face in Sunny's fur. Will gently placed her hand on Jess's shoulder. Jess through her arms around Will's neck, and Will held her as she cried. "I wanted to stay here."

"Shhhhh!" Will whispered gently. Jess wiped her tears out of her eyes and suddenly stood up.

"We should go. The rebels are waiting for us."

"Jess-"

"Drop it, Irma!" She snapped. 


	8. Prisoner

Chapter Seven: Prisoner

Caleb watched Jess as she trotted a little ahead of him, and tried to think of something to do for her. The idea of throttling whoever had done this to her was tempting to say the least, but he knew Jess would never forgive him for interfering. She was just tough like that. He couldn't explain why he felt so upset by this. It was true that, aside from Cornelia, Jess was the only other guardian he could stand to be around for long periods of time. The others were too, there was no other word for it, girly. He had never heard Jess whine about trailing through mud or heard her squeal, as the others had, upon meeting a Meridian creature. She took on their opposition with an aggressive glare and an eagerness to fight. He admired that. He smiled at Jess, who glared back.

"This way girls!" Blunk said excitedly. They followed at a run until they came to a large, blue, swirling vortex. Will pulled the heart of Candracar out of the front of her shirt. Jess smiled wryly as Will shouted, "Guardians unite!" and they were transformed into magical guardians.

Jess loved the transformation. She felt white hot power surge through her body as she was engulfed in an amber light. She felt her legs lengthen and her breast and hips fill out. Her unmanageably curly dark brown hair became soft and wavy and, Jess's favorite part, gossamer wings sprouted delicately from her back. The bruises on her back faded as her gray sweat shirt and baggy jeans were replaced by a violet halter top, which left her back bare, and her short turquoise skirt. Her tennis shoes were replaced by turquoise shoes and stripped leggings. She and her fellow guardians landed, and Jess forgot her problems as she entered butt-kicking mode. She lifted Sunny off the ground and stuffed her in her backpack, which she fitted carefully over her wings. Taranee eyed the portal apprehensively, and Jess rolled her eyes.

"Buncha whiners!" she snapped as she flew through it, landing in the middle of a hoogong nesting ground. The other girls, Blunk, and Caleb materialized next to her. She felt Sunny quiver on her back.

"The canyon is just this way," Caleb instructed. The girls followed him across the clearing and down the steep embankment into the canyon. "I wish I knew exactly where they are, but Aldarn didn't say, when he left, where they were going."

"Sunny can find them." Jess announced, lifting the puppy out of her backpack. "She knows Aldarn's scent. She can track him." Sure enough, within a few minutes, the puppy began to follow Aldarn's trail. Or she could have scented a rabbit, Caleb thought pessimistically. Sunny froze, took a few sniffs, and bolted off down another embankment with a yap, her nose to the wind. Caleb, Blunk, and the girls followed the pup until they reached the bottom. They heard a familiar laugh, as Sunny was lifted off the ground.

"Found me, didn't ya'?" Aldarn asked as Sunny bathed his face in kisses. Caleb couldn't help but smile at the sight of his friend, alive and unharmed. He was smiling, which meant that the others were safe as well. "The others are down this way. The soldiers are up there," He said pointing up at the wall. The guardians, Blunk, Sunny, and Caleb trailed him until he entered a cave. The ten or eleven men inside raised their swords and bows, but relaxed when they saw who it was. "Guardians of the veil," one muttered to the others, who smiled as they filed in the small cave.

"Are they here to help?" He asked hopefully. Aldarn nodded. Another looked curiously at Sunny, who wagged her short tail so hard her whole backside shook.

"Are you ready to leave?" Caleb asked. They all nodded.

"Ok, we'll distract them so you all can get away." Will said. Irma put an arm around Jess and winked.

"We got your distraction right here." Jess giggled, knowing what the water guardian meant. Will nodded.

"Be careful. Don't do anything stupid."

"Of course. You know we wouldn't." Jess said with a laugh.

"Oh yes you would." Cornelia snapped. Jess handed her backpack to Will.

"Can you take care of Sunny for me." Will nodded. Irma and Jess flew out of the cave entrance and up the wall to the soldiers.

"Hey, here's a physics question for ya'," Irma said to get the guard's attention, "What happens to water when it's struck by lightning?"

"The answer?" Jess said as she and Irma intertwined their fingers together, "It gets supercharged." Through their interwoven fingers, the girls sent a blast of electric water at them, soaking Phobos's soldiers. Their bodies twitched with the effects of the electricity. Three men came out from behind the rocks and Irma and Jess tried to fly out of their reach. One grabbed Jess's ankle as the others noticed the rebels sneaking out of the canyon. Jess sent a small burst of power through her foot, and he let go with a yelp. "You go warn the others. I got this," she said and Irma reluctantly flew off. The drenched soldiers had recovered and went after Irma, but Jess stood in front of them. "And where do you think you're goin'?" Jess flew in the other direction and, like idiots, all five of them went after her.

Jess giggled, flying around rocks , laughing as she turned to see her pursuers tripping and sliding, trying to keep up. "Better hurry boys. You might loose me." Angrily, they continued their pursuit. Jess suddenly hit something. She looked up to see none other then Lord Cedric standing over her.

"My top soldiers can't even handle one puny guardian?" He snapped. They cowered backwards. He grabbed her by the wrists, and she tried to shock him, but his thick snakeskin made him impervious to her powers. He coiled a thick rope around her wrists.

"That's it. Do you just do everything Phobos says, or do you have a mind of your own?"

"For your information, sassy brat, I have a mind of my own. I've just been looking for an excuse to kill you."

"Yeah, just kill me off, like Phobos's good little lap dog. Maybe if you make me suffer, he'll give you a Scooby snack."

"Insolent child!" He raged, slamming her into the solid rock wall. Jess yelped, crumpling on the ground. "Still conscious? I'll remedy that." He grabbed an iron pipe and cracked her viciously across the head.

Jess's world went black. 


	9. Alexander

Chapter Eight: Alexander

Everything hurt.

Jess woke slowly, wincing from the pain in her sides, head, and back, to see a pair of ocean blue eyes staring straight back at her. Jess tried to sit up, and she was rewarded with a sharp searing pain that coursed through every nerve in her body. "Easy!" a gentle voice advised. The owner of the voice put a hand on her forehead, soothing her brow. He was handsome, Jess noted. He had shoulder length black hair, well toned mussels, and a drop-dead-gorgeous smile. Jess felt instantly relaxed when he smiled, and, suddenly, it occurred to her. She knew this boy.

"You're one of the rebels!" she said with a laugh.

"Yes. And you're one of the guardians of the veil!"

"Guilty." she said quietly. He smiled. "Where am I?"

"Cavigore."

"Great," she grumped, remembering the awful prison she had seen only once, and that was enough. He smiled again.

"Well, it's not without it's charms."

"How long have you been here?"

"Only a few days longer then you have."

"I think it's time we escape." She tried to sit up again, and was, once again, discouraged by the sharp pain in her side. He put his hand gently on her waist.

"You are still healing. You will not be going anywhere for a while-"

"Then you-"

"And I will not be leaving you. Here," he said, picking up a cup of water, "drink this." He gently cradled her head and touched the cup to her lips. She accepted the drink gratefully, her mouth feeling like sandpaper. "My name is Alexander."

"I'm Jess," she said. "I have an idea for our escape."

"Are you sure you're up to this?" Alex asked for, what seemed like, the thousandth time.

"Yes, damnit, yes, I'm fine." Jess said for, what also felt like, the thousandth time. She stood, which had, after a few days of recovering, became manageable. Alex put a gentle arm around her waist to steady her. "I'm fine," Jess repeated, pulling away. She leaned against the wall and used her wings to steady her. She was hovering. "I hear the guard. Are you ready?" he nodded. She darted up to the cell's roof, where she rested on one of the rafters. The cell door was opened and a guard entered for a head check. Alex, who had been laying in the straw, pretending to be asleep, sat up with a sleepy grunt.

"Where is your cell mate, the lightning guardian?" Alex looked around.

"I don't know. She was here when I fell asleep." Jess suppressed a giggle. What ever they may be, the Meridian guards were not intelligent.

"A PRISONER HAS ESCAPED! SOUND THE-oof!" Jess dropped down, landing on his head, knocking him unconscious. She grabbed Alex's hand and flew out of the cell. She knew the other guards were in pursuit now, and she laughed at the thought of them trying to catch her. She felt Alex quiver from where their hands were joined. She knew how nervous he probably was to fly, so she opted not to do any back flips like she normally did. She weaved in and out of pillars, dodging guards, who hollered at each other. She finely saw the exit, and she flew up towards it. They reached the roof, and she sat Alex down.

"That was some ride." he said with a laugh. Jess giggled.

"Sorry. The faster and wilder you fly, the harder it is for them to keep up." He was panting.

"We should get back to the Infinite City. I'm sure that's where your friends are." Alex said, and Jess smiled.

"Lead the way." She was still hovering, unable to walk well. Suddenly, they heard a crash as several soldiers came charging at them. Jess summoned her powers and was just about to strike when she felt someone clasp her hair, and give it an unmerciful jerk.

"You're not getting away this time, Sparky." said a voice and Jess swore, recognizing it as Cedric's . She heard Alex's grunt as he was shoved her into the wall. Jess stomped down hard on Cedric's tail, and he released her. She electrocuted two guards who were converging on Alex. Cedric slammed her into the wall and she crumpled to the ground. He raised a bow and struck her in the shoulder with an arrow. Jess cried out in pain, and he was preparing to send another at her, when Alex leaped in front of her, his hands outstretched. Cedric smiled wickedly. "Pathetic boy. You think you can save her? Nothing can save you now."

"Wanna bet?" he asked as he grabbed one of the fallen soldier's swords and thrust it into Cedric's tail. He yelled in pain and Alex fell beside Jess, jerking the arrow out of her bleeding arm. She was barely conscious. I hoisted her on his back and wrapped a rope around one of the pillars. He made sure that the lightning guardian was secure and repelled down the wall. He then took off running, never stopping until he reached the Infinite City.

He climbed through the tunnel, and rushed to the main room, scanning for the woman he sought. "Althea!" he hollered as he slid Jess off of his back and into his arms. "Althea!" He hollered again. An older woman entered the room and took a quick look at him, before her eyes fell to the girl in his arms.

"Alex, what happened to her?" He handed Jess gently to Althea.

"She's hurt. Can you save her?"

"I'll try. She looks awful. Get me a blanket." Alex obliged. "Sweetheart, everyone's been so worried since you were capture. Why don't you go see everybody."

"I'm not leaving her Althea." The women smiled knowingly.

"Ok. Give me some room." 


	10. Family

Chapter Nine: Family

"Did you find her?" Hay Lin asked, already knowing the answer. Will shook her head and Taranee sighed.

"We over heard one of the guards say they had taken her to Cavigore." Taranee said. A tense ripple issued through the group as the guardians tried not to imagine what would happen to their friend at the prison. Irma sniffed.

"I shouldn't have left her. Hello, safety in numbers."

"Then you would've been captured as well." Will said comfortingly. Irma shook her head.

"I should have drug her back then."

"Then we all would have been captured." Hay Lin said, putting a hand on Irma's. "You are not to blame." Caleb nodded.

"If I know Jess, she's probably already trying to escape. We should head to the Infinite City. That's were she'd go." Cornelia nodded in agreement. Will shivered as a harsh wind hit them.

"We should get moving. If those soldiers come back, we're sitting ducks," she said, and Caleb put a comforting arm on Will's shoulder.

Jess wasn't sure when she had fallen unconscious . All she knew was that several hours later she woke with Alex's gorgeous ocean blue eyes staring at her. She smiled. "Good morning." He whispered.

"How long have I been out of it?"

"A couple hours." He touched her cheek gently and she closed her eyes, savoring the feeling of his fingertips on her bare skin. She shifted uneasily and felt a spark of pain in her shoulder. A fuzzy memory surfaced as she remembered Cedric's arrow. Alex nuzzled her hand. "Or you alright?"

"I'm a little sore, but I'll be fine." He nodded. His lips were just inches from her own, and Alex was thinking about how easy it would be to kiss her right then and there. A sudden noise brought them out of the brief tender moment, and Alex swore under his breath. "Will!" Jess squealed as the little red head came down the steps.

"Jess!" Irma said with a giggle, "I'm glad you're ok. Hay Lin here was so worried." Hay Lin clicked her tongue indignantly. The girls all shared a tender embrace and Jess giggled, glad to be back with her family once more.

Family!

The thought made her suddenly remember the fact that she would be moving to her new foster home in a few days. Even though they had been in Meridian for about a week, since time worked differently on earth, it had only been about day. She felt a pang of sadness at having to leave the only family she had ever known.

"Can we go home now?" Taranee asked.

"Sure," Will said. "Do you think you can walk?"

"Will…I'm not going back."

"What do you mean, silly?" Hay Lin asked.

"I don't have a home to go back to, remember? I'm going to stay here with Alex and help with the rebellion."

"But Jess, we need you."

"It's either leave here and never seen you guys again, or stay here and get to help with the rebellion. I'll be fine. Please don't worry."

"Jess, please. At least come back with us for a little while. Oh yeah, that reminds me." Will handed Jess her backpack, and Sunny popped her head out of the hole at the top. "Jess come home. Please." Will pleaded.

"You should go with them, Jess." Alex said, tenderly brushing her hair out of her face. "You don't belong here. I'll see you again, I promise." Caleb smiled. Jess sighed.

"Fine. I guess I should at least say goodbye."

"Not if I've got anything to say about it." Will muttered.

"So, you're telling me that Alex stayed behind and rescued you from Cedric?" Caleb asked as they headed back to the portal.

"Don't act so surprised." Jess said.

"I am. Alex isn't that 'all for one' type. He's never looked out for anyone in his life. He'd leave a man in the field any day, if it meant risking his life to save him. It's mostly because he never had anyone look out for him as a child. He was an orphan." Just like Jess, Will thought. "He must see something in you. Maybe he can sense that you're an orphan too." Jess smiled, her fingers trailing over her lips were the taste of Alex's goodbye kiss still lingered. 


	11. Home

Chapter Ten: Home

Will looked apprehensively at Jess, who, after a few days recovery, still winced when she walked. She had told her foster parents she had fallen at Halcyon Haven, and they forbid Jess from going back there as long as she lived with them. So that's where Will went to find Jess that afternoon. Jess had been determined to piss them off since they had gotten back from Meridian. Right now, Jess was sitting on the rocks, reading her book, and Will noticed, when she got close enough, that the pages were tear stained. She scrambled down the rocks with Sunny. Will smiled awkwardly. "I thought I might find you here."

"Yeah," Jess said with a sniff. She was looking at her shoes again. Will wished she would make eye contact. "So, you'll write to me, won't you?"

"Of course." Will whispered gently. "Send me your address when you get there, and I'll pass it on to the girls." Jess hugged her. "Come on, I want to show you something," Will said as they broke apart. She grabbed Jess's arm and the girls ran up the beach.

"We need to hurry. My train leaves in two hours."

"Don't worry about that now." Will lead the way down the streets and up the stairs of her apartment building. Will pulled her key out of her pocket and pushed it into the key hole, giving it a turn. Mrs. Vandom smiled from her seat on the couch.

"Hey girls,"

"Hey mom. Just coming to show Jess something." Mrs. Vandom got up and followed the girls to Will's bedroom. Jess scanned the room, and saw that, remarkably, it had been cleaned. Jess hoped that a clean room wasn't what Will had been planning to show her. Jess saw another bed in the corner.

"What's that for?" Jess asked.

"I'm getting a new little sister!" Will said excitedly. Jess looked curiously at Mrs. Vandom, who was divorced and had no boyfriend.

"Are you-"

"I'm not pregnant, if that's what you're thinking," she said hastily.

"Then where are you getting a sister?" Jess asked. Will was dancing on her tip-toes with excitement.

"You, silly!" She said.

"Call me blonde but, huh?" Will rolled her eyes.

"We're adopting you. Mom and I talked it over, and we decided that you shouldn't be up rooted again." Jess looked at Mrs. Vandom, hardly daring to believe it.

"Are you serious?" Jess was trying, and failing, to suppress a smile.

"I always wished I had had a second daughter," Mrs. Vandom was saying, "I figured, why not adopt one?"

"So, I'm staying?" she said. Will and her mother nodded. Jess through her arms around Will and Mrs. Vandom, who gladly hugged back. With a yap, Sunny came to join in on the group hug, and Jess lifted her up off the ground, as Will picked up Mister Huggels, her dormouse.

"It will be crazy, but you girls can handle it." Mrs. Vandom said. "You're sisters now." Jess released Will and put Sunny on the floor.

"Sisters," she whispered, trying out the word.

"Come on, let's go get your stuff and finish setting up." Will grabbed Jess's arm, and tugged her out the door. Jess followed willingly.

How about that, Jess thought as she lifted her duffel bag of the floor of her old bedroom, last week I had no family, and now, I've got a mom and a new sister. They love me. She looked at Will with a smile. They really do. Things are finely turning around,

"Hey will? Race you home," she said as both girls took off running.

Home! Somehow I'll get used to the word, Jess thought. I can't wait to get started.

A statue stands in a shaded place

An angel girl with an upturned face

A name is written on a polished rock

A broken heart that the world forgot

Through the wind and the rain

She stands hard as a stone

In a world that she can't rise above

But her dreams give her wings

And she flies to a place where she's loved

Concrete angel 


End file.
